Bradleys Enjoy their Golden Years at Pathways

David and Betty Bradley aren't just living their golden years, they're loving them. Residents of the Masonic Village Estates since 2000, their cozy, two-bedroom duplex includes plenty of space for Betty's sewing projects and a roomy garage for David's workbench.

Though David is proud to call Pathways home now, there was a time when he couldn't conceive of such a place. "Years ago my mother kept talking about a senior living center that offered all these wonderful services and how it was free to Masons and their relatives," explained David with a smile. "It didn’t seem reasonable to me that such a place existed, so we drove her up here to prove her wrong."

But one visit at Pathways was enough to prove David wrong. After the Bradleys moved his mother to Pathways, they were convinced that this was where they wanted to live as well. "We were lucky because at the time, in 1999, there was a five-year waiting list to get in," said David. "But someone had given up a spot and we got right in. And now we couldn’t be happier."

"We used to own a big place on the lake with five bedrooms, a dock for our boat, and lots of wild geese," said David, a retired teacher from Kellogg Community College. "But we have peace of mind here. Most of the residents are Masons or Eastern Star, and we know what that means and what to expect."

"And it’s comforting for our children too," added Betty, a retired 2nd grade teacher. "They don’t have to worry about the responsibility for caring for us because we know that the people of Pathways are here should something happen."

A few years ago David and Betty suffered serious back injuries from a car accident and took full advantage of the rehabilitation center at Pathways for all of their physical therapy.

In addition to enjoying many overnights with grandchildren, the Bradleys stay active with Eastern Star and the Shriners. David belongs to Bedford Lodge No. 207 and Alma Lodge No. 43.